Realistically Proportioned Barbie

Using a 3-D model, Photoshop and the Centers for Disease Control’s measurements of the average 19-year-old woman, artist Nickolay Lamm of nickolaylamm.com and MyDeals.com has created a rendering of what a Barbie doll would look like if it better resembled an average woman. He wrote, “Some people say that we shouldn’t pay attention to the body proportions of Barbie because she is just a toy.” However, he then cites research suggesting Barbie may lead to heightened body dissatisfaction among young girls, unhealthy eating behaviors, and a desire to eat less in order to achieve a slim body.

“I created normal Barbie because I wanted to show that average is beautiful,’’ Lamm wrote in an email to TODAY.com. “If average-looking Barbie looks this good and if there’s even a chance of Barbie negatively influencing young girls, why not make one?”